Media outlets have reported that the madrasah was once a meeting point for militant leaders such as Nasir Abbas and Noordin Mat Top, together with JI co-founders Bakar and Abdullah Sungkar. It was also allegedly used as a venue to recruit militants before it was closed in 2001.
In an interview with Malaysiakini, Bakar’s son Abdul Rahim Bashir said his father also had no communication with family members of the man who was shot dead in last Friday’s early morning attack on the Ulu Tiram police station, which left two policemen dead.
“We don’t know them. Maybe when Ustaz Abu Bakar was there (in Malaysia), they (suspect’s family) went to ‘mengaji’ (learn) from him, but he won’t know every single one of them,” he said.
“I heard my father’s name was mentioned again there (in Malaysia) and he was perceived as being responsible for this situation (attack).
“The way I see it, how can that be? Malaysian police to my knowledge have said the action was that of an individual.
“Ever since Ustaz Abu Bakar returned (to Indonesia), he no longer has any business there (in Malaysia). He is only someone viewed as an ustaz, a role model.
“But he was never part of the management nor was he the founder. You can check that with any registration documents,” the 47-year-old said.
Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain had initially linked the man, identified as Radin Romyullah Radin Imran, in Friday’s early morning attack on the Ulu Tiram police station to the banned terror organisation JI.
However, Razarudin later clarified that the initial theory that Radin Romyullah was linked to JI was based on his father’s past association with the terror group.
Radin Romyullah killed two constables – Ahmad Azza Fahmi Azhar and Syafiq Ahmad Said – and injured a corporal before he was shot dead at the scene.
Earlier today, Berita Harian reported that the Johor state government was considering demolishing Madrasah Luqmanul Hakim, which was built on private land near Radin Romyullah’s family home and had been abandoned ever since it was shut down in 2001.
State Islamic religious affairs committee chairman Fared Khalid said while the local community claimed that the madrasah was still in operation, the Johor Islamic religious council and the police confirmed that the religious school was no longer in use.